Red Dog, Pai Gow Poker, and more recently, Caribbean Stud Poker, represent new games that have been introduced relatively recently to the gaming public. Double exposure Blackjack, and crapless craps are some examples of rule variations on existing table games. As is common with new product introductions in general, although the new game initially generates reasonable profits to the casino, they dissipate as the novelty wears off. This can be attributed to various factors ranging from boredom with the game to a realization by the player of a low expected return. While many gamblers appear willing to experiment with a new game, in an optimistic search for the game that they can beat, they are unlikely to make a permanent commitment. This continued experimentation with new betting propositions by gaming establishments may be tolerable, especially if the games can be introduced with relatively minor costs, both direct and indirect. The direct costs are those associated primarily with the retraining of labor in the operation of the new game. In addition, there are the indirect or opportunity costs of new games which are incurred as the new games displace established table games in the casino. In this respect, sidebets on existing games are particularly attractive as they allow the casinos an opportunity to stimulate action on these games, while minimizing both of the introduction costs. Blackjack or "Twenty-One" is a popular card game of chance which is played in gaming establishments throughout the world. In a typical Blackjack game, each player places his initial wager, also known as his "ante", before any cards are dealt The wager can be any amount, at a player's direction, between the minimum and maximum limits set by the rules of the gaming establishment. Each player is then dealt two cards, both of which are commonly face down, and the dealer is dealt two cards, one of which is commonly face down and one of which is commonly face up. Each player, in turn, then takes as many "hits" (additional cards) as he elects until he either "stands" (stops with hand count less than or equal to twenty-one) or "busts" (hand count exceeds twenty-one). Each player may stand with any hand count of twenty-one of less. If a player busts, he loses his wager, regardless of whether or not the dealer busts.
After each of the players, in turn, has taken as many hits as he elects and has stood on his hand or busted, the dealer then turns over his face down card and then either stands on his hand or takes hits in accordance with the house rules. Conventionally, the house rules require that the dealer stand on his hand if he has a hand count of seventeen or more and require that he take hits, if his initial hand count is sixteen or less, until he attains a hand count of seventeen or more. After obtaining a hand count of seventeen or more, the dealer is typically not allowed to take additional hits, unless one of his cards is an ace.
Under the conventional manner of play, the house rules require that the dealer take a hit if his initial hand is an ace and a six ("soft" seventeen), or if, after receiving one or more hits, the dealer's hand consists of an ace and two or more cards that add up to a card count of six. Also under the conventional manner of play, the dealer is required to stand if his initial hand is a soft eighteen, soft nineteen or soft twenty, and the ace is then counted with a card count of eleven.
If the dealer busts, each player who has not busted wins. If the dealer does not bust, then the hand count for each player is compared with the hand count of the dealer. If the hand count of a player exceeds that of the dealer, the player wins. He is commonly paid on a 1:1 basis. If the hand count of the dealer exceeds that of the player, the player loses. If the player's hand count ties that of the dealer, it is called a "push" and the rules of play used by the gaming establishment may provide that the player loses his wager or that the player's wager is returned to him.
The conventional method of playing twenty-one which is utilized by most gaming establishments, also includes at least three well-known procedures. These are "insurance", "doubling down" and "splitting pairs".
After each player and the dealer receives their first two cards, if the dealer's "up" card is an ace, each player may elect to make an "insurance" bet. The amount of the insurance bet, for each player making the election, is most often limited to one-half of the amount of his original ante. Then the dealer, without turning over his face down card, checks the face down card, and if the dealer has a Blackjack (a two card, twenty-one count hand), he then turns over the face down card. Each player placing an insurance bet wins and is paid on a 2-to-1 basis for the insurance bet only. All players who do not also have a two card, twenty-one count hand (a Blackjack), lose their original ante regardless of their insurance bet. Each player also having a two card twenty-one count hand has his ante returned to him or loses his ante, depending on the house rules.
Another well known procedure utilized by gaming establishments is "doubling down". The initial two card, hand counts total which permit a player to elect to "double down" is established by house rules. The three most common double down hand counts utilized by gaming establishments are (a) nine, ten, or eleven; (b) ten or eleven; or (c) eleven only. If the player has an initial two card hand count total equal to one of the values established by the house rules, he may elect to double down. The player informs the dealer of his election to double down and places an additional wager up to the amount of his original ante. The dealer then deals to that player one and only one additional card, face down, and the resulting three card hand establishes the final count for that player's hand. The player's three card hand count is compared with the dealer's final hand count and the amount of the player's wager is the total of the original ante and the double down bet.
Another well known procedure utilized by gaming establishments is "splitting pairs". For example, if the first two cards of a player's hand are a pair or are both ten count cards, that player may elect to "split" the initial two cards into two separate hands. The player then applies his original ante to one of the two hands and places an additional ante for the other hand. Both of the original two cards are then turned face up and the player plays each of two hands as a separate hand in accordance with the house rules. Some Gaming establishments only allow splitting if the player's first two cards are a true pair. House rules also may allow a player to double down and may allow him to place an insurance bet on either or both hands.
While previous versions of Blackjack have permitted players to make additional wagers after at least some cards have been displayed, it is desirable to increase the player's interest in a game by permitting additional opportunities for sidebets even before any cards have been displayed.
It would also be desirable to increase player's wagering options in a manner which enhances player interest without significantly lengthening the average time needed to play a hand.
It would also be desirable to provide a sidebet which would soften the impact of streaks of stiff hands which might tend to discourage players and expedite their exit from the game. Players who are suspicious of a dealer's integrity in providing an honest shuffle/deal would be reassured by the knowledge that it is no longer in the house's best interest to deal a player a stiff hand.
Furthermore, it would be particularly desirable to provide a novel game which can be implemented with minimal introduction costs.
These and other advantages are provided by the various embodiments of the present invention which are described herein.